Workers at 15 airports nationwide began an indefinite general strike on the 1st. This Chuseok holiday lasts up to 10 days, and 5.26 million people are expected to use airports. Starting the afternoon of the 2nd, as domestic and international travel ramps up, there are concerns that an "airport chaos" will erupt. However, on this day, substitute personnel were deployed, and airport users did not experience major inconveniences.
◇ Workers participating in the strike do work such as shuttle buses, boarding bridges, and sanitation
The National Solidarity of Airport Workers, composed of the Incheon Airport Regional Branch under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Public Transport Workers' Union and the National Airport Labor Union, began a strike at 6 a.m. on the 1st.
About 15,000 union members affiliated with the National Solidarity of Airport Workers work at 15 airports—Incheon, Gimpo, Wonju, Yangyang, Pohang Gyeongju, Ulsan, Gimhae, Daegu, Sacheon, Yeosu, Cheongju, Gunsan, Gwangju, Muan, and Jeju—as well as at the Aviation Technical Training Center and the Air Navigation Facilities Headquarters of Korea Airports Corporation, handling security screening, security guard duties, fuel servicing, boarding bridges, information and communications, shuttle buses, shuttle trains, terminal operations, parking enforcement, traffic control, and sanitation.
The National Solidarity of Airport Workers is demanding: ▲ switching the current three-shift, two-team system to a four-shift, two-team system ▲ hiring more staff and reducing working hours ▲ improving disadvantages faced by employees of subsidiaries. After starting the strike, they held rallies at 9:30 a.m. at Incheon Airport Terminal 1 and at 10 a.m. at Gimpo Airport's domestic terminal, then held a general strike rally in the afternoon at Gimpo Airport. According to Incheon International Airport Corporation and Korea Airports Corporation, the number of participants in the strike is estimated at about 2,000.
◇ Security screening staff cannot join the strike… Airports deploy substitute personnel
Although the indefinite general strike began, airports initially operated normally. Because daily life can be jeopardized if airport operations are paralyzed, essential maintenance personnel work even during a strike. For example, security screening staff must work at 100% normal levels.
Incheon International Airport Corporation expanded the number of X-ray screening machines at Departure Hall 1 in Terminal 2 from 10 to 17 so that passengers can complete departure procedures normally. All of the roughly 120 security screening personnel were deployed on-site.
When the strike began, Incheon International Airport Corporation and Korea Airports Corporation each deployed 408 and 153 substitute personnel. At the 14 airports operated by Korea Airports Corporation, excluding Incheon International Airport, weekday staffing is about 1,700, but operations are currently being run with about 1,100, or roughly 65% of normal levels. A Korea Airports Corporation official said, "For now, operations are sufficiently possible with substitute personnel and subsidiary staff, and no related complaints about inconvenience have been received."
Airports operated relatively stably on the day. As of 10:40 a.m. on the 1st, the wait time at Incheon Airport Terminal 1, Departure Hall 3, was up to 18 minutes, and Departure Halls 2 and 4 were 8 minutes and 7 minutes, respectively. Park, a college student surnamed Park (23), who is traveling to Japan for 4 nights and 5 days, said, "I came three hours earlier than the departure time because of the general strike news, but it's no different from usual," adding, "Check-in finished quickly, so I have time to spare."
◇ "Today was fine, but if the strike continues on my return day, I'm worried about getting to work"
However, there are growing concerns that the situation could worsen starting on the 2nd, when Chuseok holiday travel begins in earnest. During this holiday period, the number of users at the 15 airports nationwide is expected to reach about 5.26 million, the largest ever for a holiday. Incheon Airport accounts for 2.45 million, and the 14 airports including Gimpo, Gimhae, and Jeju account for 2.81 million (2.06 million domestic, 750,000 international).
An office worker surnamed Yu (47), met at Incheon Airport's departure hall, said, "If the strike continues on my return day next week, I'm worried it might disrupt my commute." An office worker surnamed Kim (36) also said, "Today's departure procedures weren't delayed, but the restrooms were dirtier than usual," adding, "Once the holiday starts, the airport will be much more crowded, so I'm concerned."
In a statement, Incheon International Airport Corporation said, "This year's Chuseok holiday is expected to see the highest number of passengers ever," and urged, "We ask the labor union of the subsidiary to refrain from strikes that could cause inconvenience to the public."